Dataset Information

Childhood hyperactivity, physical aggression and criminality: a 19-year prospective population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Research shows that children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are at elevated risk of criminality. However, several issues still need to be addressed in order to verify whether hyperactivity in itself plays a role in the prediction of criminality. In particular, co-occurrence with other behaviors as well as the internal heterogeneity in ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity and inattention) should be taken into account. The aim of this study was to assess the unique and interactive contributions of hyperactivity to the development of criminality, whilst considering inattention, physical aggression and family adversity.

Methodology/principal findings

We monitored the development of a population-based sample of kindergarten children (N?=?2,741). Hyperactivity, inattention, and physical aggression were assessed annually between the ages of 6 and 12 years by mothers and teachers. Information on the presence, the age at first charge and the type of criminal charge was obtained from official records when the participants were aged 25 years. We used survival analysis models to predict the development of criminality in adolescence and adulthood: high childhood hyperactivity was highly predictive when bivariate analyses were used; however, with multivariate analyses, high hyperactivity was only marginally significant (Hazard Ratio: 1.38; 95% CI: 0.94-2.02). Sensitivity analyses revealed that hyperactivity was not a consistent predictor. High physical aggression was strongly predictive (Hazard Ratio: 3.44; 95% CI: 2.43-4.87) and its role was consistent in sensitivity analyses and for different types of crime. Inattention was not predictive of later criminality.

Conclusions/significance

Although the contribution of childhood hyperactivity to criminality may be detected in large samples using multi-informant longitudinal designs, our results show that it is not a strong predictor of later criminality. Crime prevention should instead target children with the highest levels of childhood physical aggression and family adversity.

SUBMITTER: Pingault JB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3641049 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Childhood hyperactivity, physical aggression and criminality: a 19-year prospective population-based study.

Pingault Jean-Baptiste JB Côté Sylvana M SM Lacourse Eric E Galéra Cédric C Vitaro Frank F Tremblay Richard E RE

PloS one 20130501 5

<h4>Background</h4>Research shows that children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are at elevated risk of criminality. However, several issues still need to be addressed in order to verify whether hyperactivity in itself plays a role in the prediction of criminality. In particular, co-occurrence with other behaviors as well as the internal heterogeneity in ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity and inattention) should be taken into account. The aim of this study was to assess the unique and in ...[more]

PMID: 23658752

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Project description:Animal and human studies suggest that inflammation is associated with behavioral disorders including aggression. We have recently shown that physical aggression of boys during childhood is strongly associated with reduced plasma levels of cytokines IL-1a, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10, later in early adulthood (Provencal et al., unpublished data). This study tests the hypothesis that there is an association between differential DNA methylation regions in cytokine genes in T cells and monocytes DNA in adult subjects and a trajectory of physical aggression from childhood to adolescence. We compared the methylation profiles of the entire genomic loci encompassing the IL-1a, IL-6, IL-4, IL10 and IL8 and three of their regulatory transcription factors (TF) NFkB1, NFAT5 and STAT6 genes in adult males on a chronic physical aggression trajectory (CPA) and males with the same background who followed a normal physical aggression trajectory (control group). We used the method of methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) with comprehensive cytokine gene loci and TF loci microarray hybridization, statistical analysis and false discovery rate correction. We recruited two groups of Caucasian males who were born in families with a low socioeconomic status and were living at the time of the present study within 200km from our laboratory. The first group, composed of 8 subjects, had a history of chronic physical aggression from age 6 to 15 years (chronic physical aggression group, CPA). The second group, composed of 12 subjects, was recruited from the same longitudinal studies but included only those who did not have a history of chronic physical aggression from age 6 to 15 (Control group, CG). Using custom-designed microarrays with 44K probes tiling cytokines IL-1a, IL-6, IL-4, IL10 and IL8 and three of their regulatory transcription factors (TF) NFkB1, NFAT5 and STAT6, we obtained DNA methylation profiles by meDIP-chip. Each profile was generated in triplicate.

Dataset Information

Childhood hyperactivity, physical aggression and criminality: a 19-year prospective population-based study.

Background

Methodology/principal findings

Conclusions/significance

Publications

Childhood hyperactivity, physical aggression and criminality: a 19-year prospective population-based study.

Similar Datasets

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